Still Blushing
by LadyQuartz24601
Summary: A sequel to my previous story, "Blushing." I would recommend reading that first, but it is certainly not necessary. So sweet it will rot your teeth.


Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. To all who read "Blushing" I hope this meets your expectations of a sequel. If you didn't read "Blushing" Draco and Hermione are engaged and just graduated Hogwarts when this picks up.

Still Blushing

I wish I could say that I grew out of my bad habit of blushing just like I grew out of being an "insufferable know-it-all." Heck, I wish I could have left my blushing behind when I left Hogwarts for the last time (a sad day indeed), but unfortunately that's not the way it works.

Draco and I decided to get married on Christmas Eve (What better excuse could there be for us decorating with our house colors?) in my childhood church. Both our families were invited; my mother was thrilled to bits to be able to plan the wedding—she had always feared that would be a magic moment that she and my dad would neither be able to understand nor attend.

Draco wanted me to move into Malfoy Manor for the interim, but I steadfastly refused. Not only was my family traditional about such things, but I also knew my parents and I needed to make up for lost time.

I'd been home for just three days when Draco owled me, asking if I could please meet him in Diagon Alley for lunch. I eagerly agreed.

Draco and I met up at a very nice, new, open-air café. The waitress took our orders; Draco took my hand.

I swear I heard a giggle.

"I love you, Hermione," Draco whispered.

I know I heard a giggle that time.

Draco glanced over my shoulder, and his eyes darkened with anger.

I turned around in my seat.

There, clogging up traffic, was a group of silly, middle-aged women staring at Draco and I and trying to muffle their giggles with their hands.

"Can I help you?" Draco stood and walked towards them.

I struggled to fight the blush I could feel seeping into my cheeks.

The women mumbled something about having seen our engagement announcement in the paper (some society-related move made, no doubt, by Draco's mother) and then went on their way.

Draco's cold hands cupped my burning cheeks as he assured me that they were gone and that we could enjoy the rest of our afternoon together.

* * *

It was mid-August before I had to face the inevitable—meeting Draco's parents.

I had, of course, met them before. If you'll remember it went something like this:  
Narcissa: *ignore*  
Lucius: Hello, you filthy little mudblood.  
Draco: *sneer*  
Narcissa: *sniff*

True, it was four years ago, but I was afraid they'd hate me and make Draco marry someone else. Then again, Narcissa had already posted the engagement announcement in the paper.

I dressed up in the one pair of dress robes I had. They fit well and were dark blue.

At exactly the appointed hour, I apparated to just outside the Malfoy Manor gates. Draco was waiting for me when I arrived.

The gate swung open, and Draco pulled me into his arms. "It is lovely to see you," he dropped a kiss onto my cheek.

I blushed a little as he offered me his arm and escorted me to the house.

"Good afternoon," Lucius sneered as soon as I'd entered the foyer.

"Good afternoon, Sir," I murmured back, chewing my lip nervously.

Narcissa entered then, and I had to summon all of my so-called Gryffindor courage not to turn and flee. She walked towards me, "So this is the girl taking my darling Drakie away from me."

I blushed.

Narcissa smiled then, "You _are_ rather pretty. I know you're smart; yes, I grant you leave to be the one with whom Draco produces the Malfoy heirs."

Draco chuckled as the color flooded my cheeks, visable even in the dark entry way.

Lucius stepped forward to join his wife. "Yes, very well. We give our consent for you to marry Draco." He turned and walked away. Narcissa followed him.

I looked at Draco, totally unsure of what to do.

"You may leave," their unison voices instructed.

We left.

* * *

Since I had gone through the ordeal of getting the approval of Draco's parents, it was only fair that Draco meet mine. I was excited and terrified simultaneously. All I wanted was for everyone to emerge unscathed.

My parents were working in the office until 5:00 that Wednesday evening, so I offered to make dinner so it would be ready when Draco arrived at 5:30.

Yes, I can cook. I don't know who started the rumor that I couldn't.

My parents arrived home, and my mother headed for the shower while my father relaxed with the day's paper. I was almost done cooking and decided to set the table before Draco arrived.

He arrived precisely on time, and I greeted him with a hug before bringing him into the living room to meet my parents. He was polite and gentlemanly, and by the time we sat down for dinner, my mother was thoroughly under his spell.

After dinner we sat for a while, talking about the wedding and the job he was taking in a magical law office in Hogsmeade.

Everything was going along splendidly when my father abruptly spoke. "I trust that my daughter still deserves the white wedding dress we ordered for her."

I turned absolutely scarlet. I tried to splutter out a protest, but it simply didn't work.

"Sir," Draco addressed my father as purely composed as ever, "I would never ask or expect your daughter to allow me that sort of liberty before our wedding night. I'm a bit offended that you would suggest such a thing."

I held my breath as my blush abated.

My father chuckled, "I like you, Draco. I hope we will get to see more of you between now and the wedding."

I sighed in relief.

* * *

Time seemed to fly by. It was the middle of December when Ginny appeared in the bookstore where I worked. "Hey, girlie!" She shouted at me across the store.

I blushed as I glanced at her before turning back to the story I was reading to a group of toddlers. When storytime was done and the children returned to their parents, I found her browsing the cookbooks. "How can I assist you, Miss Weasley?"

Ginny wrinkled her nose. "You're getting married in two weeks. You may have forgotten about your honeymoon, but I have not. We are going … lingerie shopping!"

We left the shop and made our way to a tiny shop at the end of an alley next to the Hog's Head. I was not comfortable at all, but I trust Ginny with my life, and more importantly, my love life. As we entered, a skinny woman with big teeth rushed towards us.

Ginny distracted the assistant, beckoning me to move into the racks. I was totally lost in the skimpy lace and silk contraptions. Just as I was about to throw up my hands and leave the store, Ginny appeared at my side.

Within a matter of minutes, she had selected eight or ten—I don't even know what word to use … nighties?... for me. We discreetly brought the items over to the register, where a plump brunette rang me up, offering a running commentary the whole while. "Oooh, someone has a new beau! He's going to love you in this! This color is divine! I hope he's rich because you have expensive tastes, my dear!" She fumbled for the price label on my second to last selection before doing the unthinkable….

She brought her want to her throat, muttered "sonorous" and then called, "Amy, I need a price check on the PlayWitch lace teddy!"

I dropped my purse on the counter, face blazing, and ran from the store because a girl can only take so much. My feet brought me to Draco's office, where I quickly found him and buried my face in his chest. "Honey, save me!"

Draco laughed at me. "What happened? Your face looks positively radioactive."

I recounted the story as my fiancé tried admirably not to burst out laughing. By the time I was done, Ginny had found me.

Draco reached towards the bag, but Ginny grabbed his ring finger, jerking it backwards until he had all but collapsed into his desk chair, whimpering in oh-so-masculine pain. Ginny turned towards the door.

"Don't worry, you'll get to see them in a couple of weeks," I whispered into his ear. After kissing his cheek, I joined Ginny on the street.

* * *

"How was your bachelorette party?" Draco asked calmly, two days before our wedding. (We'd met up for dinner, you see.)

I shrugged. Ginny had gone completely overboard, decking me out head to foot in ridiculous accessories that clearly labeled me "the bride." We'd grabbed drinks in a hotel bar and then gone out dancing. She'd paid several young, attractive wizards to dance with me in ways that made me uncomfortable.

Draco, seeing I wasn't going to answer, began to tease me. "Did you have a stripper?"

"No!" I choked out, already feeling blood rush to my cheeks.

"More than one stripper, then?"

I dropped my head to the table with a satisfying clunk. "No."

Draco furrowed his brows at me. "You mean to say, Ginny Weasley planned your bachelorette party and didn't get you a stripper?" Draco hadn't even had a bachelor party. He said it was a waste of time.

"She … uh … paid a few guys to grind against me at the club she dragged me to. I've never felt so violated," I admitted, staring at the tabletop.

Draco placed a finger under my chin and forced me to look at him. "I'm proud of you for stepping outside your comfort zone. I love you."

* * *

As I walked down the aisle on my wedding day, I couldn't help but blush brightly. Everyone was staring at me. Me! Hermione Granger! _Hermione Malfoy_, I corrected myself mentally.

Luckily, I had a blusher on my veil, obscuring my face. Hopefully the layer of white mesh would make my blush more rosey and less fuchsia.

Draco took my veil in his hands, preparing to reveal my face.

"Not yet!" I pleaded with him quietly. "Let my face return to a relatively normal color first? Please?"

Draco smirked at me and flipped my veil. "Not a chance, Missy!" He kissed my hot cheek. "You look fine."

The wizard-priest who was presiding over the ceremony opened his mouth. "Mawidge is what bwings us togeffa today. Mawidge is a dweam wiffin a dweam…. The dweam of wuv wrapped wiffin the gweater dweam of everwasting west. Eternity is our fwiend, wemember that, and wuv wiw fowwow you fowever."

I burst out laughing, recognizing my favorite scene from _Princess Bride_. "How much did you pay him?" I asked Draco.

Draco just chuckled.

"Wuv! Twue wuv!" The priest cried joyfully.

After that hilarious beginning, the ceremony went smoothly. At the end of it, Draco whispered, "He did it for free because I told him it'd make you turn purple!"

Then he kissed me.

In front of my dad! My mom, the Weasleys, Snape, his parents, and all our professors! Really what choice did I have but to blush then.

* * *

I was shaking as Draco led me to our bedroom that night. All sorts of nervous, self-conscious thoughts were running through my head. _Just trust him_, I lectured myself.

Draco placed his hands on my waist, and I shrieked and jumped a foot in the air. "Tense?" Draco teased, sliding his hands over my waist more slowly this time.

I nodded, blushing just a bit.

Draco pulled me into a kiss, a familiar comforting feeling which actually did help to calm me down somewhat. He let me slide my tongue over his as he unzipped my gown and removed it from my body. "Beautiful," he assured me, whispering into my ear.

I blushed. "Thanks."


End file.
